Relay



June 5, 1956 w. l.. TANCRED 2,749,402

RELAY Filed NOV. 9, 1951 40 Z/f3 41/ ,M W40 OOO United States Patent() RELAY William L. Tancred, Hartford, Conn., assigner to The W. N. Borg Corporation, Hartford, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application November 9, 1951, Serial No. 255,721

8 Claims. (Cl. 200--98) This invention relates to relays, and has for an object to provide a relay of small dimensions, which can be mounted and operated while in any angular position, and which cannot be j arred out of its normal condition whether that be open or closed, wherein friction is reduced to a very low value, and which is capable under very small controlling current ow of controlling relatively heavy load output.

Further objects and advantages will become apparent from a description of certain embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a central longitudinal sectional view through a normally open relay embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view on line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view similar to a portion of Figure 1, but to a larger scale and showing the contact elements in central longitudinal section.

Figure 4 is a side elevation partly broken away and in central longitudinal section showing a modified construction.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal central sectional view showing the modification of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary side elevation of a relay such as is shown in Figures l to 5, inclusive.`

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figures 3 and 5, but showing a normally closed relay.

Figure 8 is a View similar to a portion of Figure 1 and illustrating al further modification.

Referring to the construction shown in Figures 1 to 3, the relay comprises a tube 1 which may be ,of nonconductive, non-magnetic material 'as,'for example, glass. Within this tube at each end is a core 2 of magnetizable material as, for example, soft iron, the two cores 2 being held in spaced relation by any suitable means such, for example, as a screw 5 threaded into the outer end of each core and extending through a disk wall member 6 of insulating material and an end wall 7v which-may be of metal, these two walls together closing off the outer ends of the tube 1.

The tube 1 has positioned thereover at each end portion a solenoid coil 8 by energization of which the cores 3 may be magnetized. These cores may be retained between the insulating disks 6 and insulating ring members 10 as by annular pole members 11 spaced apart by an in sulating ring 12. Each of the members 11 may be secured to the insulating spacer ring 12 as by screws 13 having their heads embedded in one of the members 11 and each having a cylindrical nut 14 threaded on its opposite end and seated in a socket 15 in the insulating ring. The solenoids 8 may be surrounded by cylindrical casing members 16 which may have their adjacent ends of reduced diameter at 17 and engaging annular shoulders 19 on the members 11. Slots 20 through the casing members 16 permit the passage of conductors 23 leading to the solenoids 8.

Between the cores 2 are positioned a pair of magnetizable armatures 21, and as shown and for the purpose 2,749,402 Patented June 5, 1956 ICE of reduced friction these may be provided with annular ribs 22 which bear slidably against the inner face of the tube 1. The solenoids 8 provide the actuating means for the controlling current by which the relay is operated While the cores 2 or conductors extending therethrough as shown in Figures 5 and 7 and the armatures 21 provide portions of the switch in the controlled circuit, the screws 5 providing the terminals for the controlled circuit. As shown, for example, in Figure 3, the armatures 21 may be cup-shaped having round ends 25 facing the cores 2 and they may be connected together as by a conducting spring 26 housed therein and having its ends secured in lugs 27 projecting inwardly from the closed ends 25. The spring 26 normally pulls the armatures together into mutual contact as shown in Figure l, so that one or both of the armatures 21 is out of electrical contact with its core 2. However, when the solenoids 8 are energized, the armatures are drawn away from each other by repulsion between like poles of the armatures and into Contact by attraction between opposite poles of the armatures and cores, with their cores 2, thus making electrical connection between one of the terminal screws 5 at one end of the relay through its core 2 or conductor, its armature 21, the connecting spring 26, the other armature 21, its core 2 or conductor and the opposite terminal screw 5. Thus whenever the solenoids 8 are energized, electrical connection is completed, closing the controlled circuit.

ln Figures 4 and 5 a modification is shown in which instead of employing a spring such as 26 to open the main circuit by pulling the armatures out of contact with their respective cores, a central solenoid 30 arranged between the solenoids 8 performs this function, energization of this central solenoid 3i) causing the armatures 21a to be drawn together by attraction between opposite poles thereof and separating them from their cores 2. In order that the main circuit may be closed when the solenoids 8 are energized, the armatures 21a, as shown in Figure 5, are connected by a flexible conductor 31. This conductor has the conductive function of the spring 26 shown in Figure 3, but has no elect to pull the armatures toward each other and away from contacting with the cores 2, which function is performed in this modification by energization of the central solenoid 30. Also in this iigure the inner ends of the armatures are shown as of reduced diameter as at 35 and they are slidably guided in a non-conductive non-magnetic sleeve 36. Likewise for vthe sake of insuring better electrical conductivity, the adjacent ends of the cores 2 and the cooperating ends of the armatures 21a are shown as provided with buttons 38 and 39 of high conductive material such as silver or the like and the button 3S may be connected to the terminal screw 5 by conductor elements 37 having lower resistance than the cores 2 and which extend through these cores.

While in the structures previously described the main circuit has been closed by energization of the controlling solenoids 8 so that the relay is a normally open relay, it may be arranged to be normally closed, such an arrangement being shown, for example, in Figure 7. Referring to this figure, it will be noted that the armatures 2lb are arranged reversed end to end from the showing of the previous figures and they are normally held into electrical contact with each other as by springs 40 housed thereby and reacting between the ends of their cores 2 and the closed heads 41 of the armatures. As shown these closed ends have conductive buttons 4Z which are normally held into contact with each other by the springs 46.

This Figure 7 shows, also, instead of the cores 2 being employed as conductive portions of the control circuit, separate conductors 43 are extended through the cores 2 and secured at their adjacent ends as at 44 to the closed ends of the armatures 2lb. Here, it `Jill be noted, that whenever the controlling s olenoids 8 are energized the armatures are pulled away L'from each other by repulsion 'between like lpoles of the 'armatures and Yattraction between opposite pol'es vof the `armatures and cores, thus 'breaking contact Abetween vthe buttons 411'andf'so opening the controlled circuit.

In Figure 8 a further modilication is shown which -may be vadapted to either normally open or Ynorinally Vclosedrelay's and shown therein las applied to a normally vopen Irelay. In this modification instead of employing a f'tub'e l1 which houses not only the'armatures but the cores 2, the'arinatures only are housed within '.arelatively short insulating tube 50 whichrnay be seated infreduced diameter end .portions 51 of 'the cores 2a and preferably with seal-ing rings -52 therebetween. The cores 2a may then directly carry Vthe controlling `solenoid's \8.

5Inlall`of `these structures, however, it is possible to'seal the armatures hermetic'a'lly so `they rare not subject to atmospheric conditions yof `moisture and the like and, if :'desired, the lsealing made 'effective with a Vsuitable inert atmosphere enclosed within'the `s'pace in which the armatures are positioned.

IFrom the foregoing description`ofcertainembodirnents "of this invention it should be "evident to those Skilled in the art that various further changes and modifications may be made Without 'departing `from the spirit `or -scope yoflthis invention.

I claim:

l1. A relay comprising `a tubeof non-conducting material, a pair of magnetizable cores arranged in coaxial Vrelation Within said tube and spaced apart a predetermined distance, a pairof magnetizable armature elements 'magnetizable upon energization of lsaid cores and slid'ably Aguided within said tube and togetherof insufficient length to bridge the space between said cores, means biasing said armatures toward one another and out of contact with atleast one 'of-'said cores when said cores are unlenergized, and axially spaced solenoids surrounding said lcores and when energized causing said armatures to be separated from each other and each 'to contact "with its 'respective core.

2. -A relay comprising La tube of fnon-`eonducting material, a'pair of 'magnetizabl'e cores arranged in coaxial relation Vwithin said tube and spaced "apart a predeter- 'inined distance, a -pair -of magnetizable armature ele Aments magneti-zabl'e 'upon energiz'ation of said'cors fand 'slidably guided within said tube between 'saidcores and ltogether'ofinsu'cientlength to bridge thespace between Said 7c`o`res, nieais fbiasing-said armatures toward lone vanother and out of contact with lat least one of fsai'd cores whensaid cores are unenergize'd, axially spaced s'olen'oivds surrounding said cores 'and when energizedfcausing'said l"arfratures to be jseparated from leachotherarid A'ieaelfo contact with vits respective core, Vand an electric circuit including -saidlcrores and armatures and controlled by the 1 positions of said armatures.

3. A relay comprising atube of non-conducting material, a pair of magnetizable cores arranged in coaxial relation within said tube and spaced apart a predetermined distance, a pair of magnetizable armature elements magnetizable upon energiation of said cores and slid ably guided within said `'tube and together of insufficient length to' bridge the space between said cores, axially :spaced s'clenoids fsur'oimding said cores Yand when 'energized causing said :armatures 'to y'be separated "from :each other and each to contact with its e'sp'eetive co'efmeans normally holding s'aid ainatures in mutual ycontact and out of contact with at least one of said cores, and a conducting element 'connecting 'said armatures.

4. A relay comprising a tube of non-conducting material, a pair of magnetizable cores arranged in coaxial relation Within said -tube `and spaced apart a .predeter- -n'iined distance, arpair-of lImagnetizable Aarmature Eelements slidably guided within said Ytube and ytogether "of insuf- Licient length to bridge the space between said cores,

axially-.spaced'Isolenoidssurrounding said cores and when energized causing said armatures to Abe `separated from each other and eachto contact with'its respective core, means normally holding said armatures in contact with eachother comprising la conductive tensionvspring secured to said armatures, and an `electric vcircuit vincluding -said armatures and tension spring controlled bythe-position of said armatures.

5. A relayfconstructed-asinclaim -1 in vwhich saidarma- 'tures eaeh Vcomprise a cup-shaped element having closed ends.

6. Arelayconstructed-as inclaim'l in which saidarinatures each comprise faecup-shapcd `element having closed ends facing said cores'and a'eonducting-element connectingsaidclosed ends.

A7. Av relay constructedfas-inclaim 4 inwhichsaid'armatures each comprise a cup-shaped element having closed "endsfacing -said cores'andsaid tension spring vbeing enclosed thereby.

, 8. A-structure-'asrecitedinelaim .f3 wherein the'means normally holdings'said armatures in `mutual-contact corn- 4prises a'solenoid surrounding -said tube and located adjacent to the confronting portions of said-armatures.

References Citedfintheliile offthis patent UNITED PA'FIEIFS 

